Belting fabric



A ril 30, 1935 J. B. SIDEBOTHAM BELTING FABRIC Filed Oct. 20, 1952 INVENTOR.

Patented Apr. 30, 1935 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 7 Claims.

My invention relates to belting fabric particularly of the character utilized in driving textile machinery, or the like.

In accordance with my invention, the belting is woven withlap end elements of reduced thickness which are subsequently joined in overlapping relation to form a flexible belt of substantially uniform thickness throughout its length including the joint.

More specifically, during the weaving, the lap elements are formed of reduced thickness by omitting to weave in certain warp threads, and subsequently the threads not woven in are cut away; alternately, or in addition, the number of picks of filling per unit of length may be reduced during weaving of the lap elements.

My invention also resides in the belting fabric and method of making it hereinafter described and claimed.

For an understanding of my invention, reference is made to the accompanying drawing in which:

Figs. 1 and 2 are respectively side elevation and bottom plan views of fabric belting woven in accordance with the invention.

Figs. 3 to 6 inclusive are cross-sectional views taken respectively on lines 3-3, 4-4, 5-5, and 6-5 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 7 on enlarged scale is a side view of the 30 belting showing the disposition of the warp and filling.

Fig. 8 on reduced scale illustrates the belting from which individual belts may be out.

Fig. 9 shows on enlarged scale an individd'al belt 35 cut from the belting strip of Fig. 8.

Fig. 10 on enlarged scale illustrates the joint of the belt.

Referring to the drawing, the belting is preferably woven as a continuous strip or tape T from which individual belts are cut. The sections t, tl t2, etc., destined to form individual belts comprise the body portions b, bl, b2 etc., which are joined by the sections s, sl, s2 etc., which, as woven, are suitably less in thickness than the body sections b, bl, etc., which can be of any desired length suitable for the use to which the belt is to be put. When the belting is cut, as at m, x, between the body portions, each belt has integrally woven lap elements L, L which are thinner than the intervening or body portion of the belt.

The reduction in thickness of the lap elements is obtained by omitting to weave in a suitable number of the warp threads, and/or by reducing the number of picks of filling during the weaving of the sections s, sl, s2, etc.

For a better understanding of the invention, the weaving and construction of the belting fabric of Figs. 1 and 2, is specifically described. For simplicity of explanation, the belting is of twoply construction but it is to be understood that 6 the invention is not limited to belting of only two layers or plies.

Referring to Fig. 7, the body portion b is woven to include the warp threads or ends W associated with filling ,fl, and the warp threads v associated 10 with the lower filling The two layers or plies are held together by the binder warp B as clearly shown. When the weaving has progressed to the point represented by line 3;, the harness for the upper warp threads W is held so that warp w is not woven in as the weaving progresses to form the first lap element L in the plane of the lower ply (Fig. '7). The binder warp B may, as shown, be woven into the lap'element L, or may be held out with warp W. It is preferable that the binder warp be woven in because of the additional strength without material increase of thickness.

The position which the picks i would occupy except for modification of the weave is indicated by the dotted circles. Actually since the warp W is omitted the shuttle passes back and forth without leaving filling fl in the first lap element, a so t the number of picks of filling per unit of length is less than in the body portion b.

In the specific weave shown, the belt is a twoply web, i. e., a tubular fabric whose face and back are bound by the binder warp threads.

When the weaving of the firstlap element is completed, beginning at :c, the harness for the lower warp V is held and the harness for the upper warp W resumes its usual movement. The second lap section which is in the plane of the upper ply (Fig. '7) is thus woven without inclusion of warp V. The binder warp, or ends B, when woven into the first lap elements, crosses over at :1: and is woven into the second lap element with the upper warp W. As shown, the upper warp W from y to a: is loose but beginning at x is again woven in. The lower filling f is omitted in the second lap section and the lower warps V from a: to y are loose.

Beginning at y, for weaving of the next body portion bl, both sets of warps W and V are again woven in and the binder warp B again connects the plies together. As shown by Figs. 3 to 6, the body portions b, bl are of greater thickness than the lap elements L, L. With the specific method described, the lap elements are formed alternately to extend from opposite surfaces of the belting, as

most clearly shown in Figs. 2 and 7.

From the foregoing explanation, it is apparent to those skilled in the art how to modify the operation of a loom to produce woven belting with integrally woven lap elements of reduced thickness; for example, applicant has used a Crompton-Knowles multiplying dobby on a Fletcher loom to control the operation of the harness of the warps.

The belting as shown in Fig. 8 is made into individual belts by cutting away the loose warp threads and severing the binder warp B at a: where it joins the adjacent lap elements. The lap elements L at the ends of the individual belt 13', Fig. 9, are brought into over-lapping relation and suitably held by cement, or the like, or preferably by stitching Z, as shown in Fig. 10 which for best results should extend some distance beyond the joint. As the lap elements extend from opposite surfaces 'of the belt, they form a smooth Joint and the surface is in effect unbroken. Moreover, the joint has substantially the same flexibility as the remainder of the belt.

While for simplicity in explanation of the invention, a specific type of belting and method of weaving it has been minutely described, it is to be understood that my invention is not limited thereto but is co-extensive in scope with the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. A belting fabric woven to the width of the finished belting with inextensible warp threads running lengthwise of the belting, and comprising a plurality of successively woven belt sections each having lap end elements woven with less than all of said warp threads which are woven into the body of the belting between the lap end elements, said body portion being woven uniformly of substantially uniform thickness from edge to edge and throughout its length between the lap end elements at opposite ends thereof.

2. A belting fabric woven to the width of the finished belting with inextensible warp threads rurming lengthwise of the belting, and comprising a plurality of successively woven belt sections each having lap end elements woven with a number of picks of filling per unit of length less than the number of picks of filling per said unit of length comprised in the body of the belting between said lap end elements, said body portion being woven uniformly of substantially uniform thickness from edge and edge and throughout its length between the lap end elements at opposite, ends thereof.

a. A belting fabric woven to the width of the finished belting with inextensible warp threads running lengthwise of the belting, and comprising a plurality of successively woven belt sections each having lap end elements woven with less than all of said warp threads which are woven into the body of the belting between the lap end elements, said body portion being woven uniformly of substantially uniform thickness from edge to edge, and throughout its length between the lap end elementsat opposite ends thereof, said lap end elements also woven with a number of picks of filling per unit of length less than the number of picks per said unit of length of the body of the belting.

4. A belting fabric woven to the width of the finished belting with groups of inextensible warp threads running lengthwise of the belting, and comprising a plurality of successively woven belt sections each having one lap end element of reduced thickness formed by omitting to weave in one of said groups of warp threads, and its other lap end element formed by omitting to weave in another of said groups of warp threads, the body of the beltingbetween said elements being woven uniformly of substantially uniform thickness from edge to edge throughout its length between said lap end elements.

5. A belting fabric comprising body portions each woven uniformly to the width of the finished belting and of substantially uniform thickness throughout its length and width, and lap end sections alternating with said body portions, each lap end section being substantially shorter than a body portion and comprising a lap end element extending from one body portion, and another lap element extending from the first lap element and terminating at the next body portion, each lap element of the section being woven with inextensible warp threads not woven into the other and woven into the body portions.

6. A belting fabric comprising body portions each woven uniformly to the width of the finished belting and of substantially uniform thickness throughout its length and width, and lap end sections alternating with said body portions, each lap end section being substantially shorter than a body portion and comprising lap end elements extending toward each other from adjacent body portions, their ends meeting between the ends of the section, the inextensible warp threads not woven into each element and woven into the other meeting at the meeting of the ends of said elements and extending loosely on opposite sides of the fabric to the body portions contiguous to the section.

7. A driving belt comprising a body portion woven on an inextensible warp to the finished width of the belt and of uniform density throughout its length, and lap elements extending from opposite ends of said body portion, one of said lap elements continuing from one face of said body portion woven with certain of the warp threads in said body portion omitted and the other lap element continuing from the other face of said body portion and woven to include warp threads not included in said first lap element and included in said body portion.

' JOHN B. SIDEBOTHAM.

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